Free tool
Body Recomposition Calculator for Women Over 40
Lose fat and build muscle at the same time: your calories and macros for a recomposition, and what to expect month by month, from Nikkiey and WarriorBabe's coaches.
Your recomposition plan
2,150 calories a day
Your maintenance: eating enough to build
- Protein
- 160 g
- Carbs
- 220 g
- Fat
- 70 g
Maintenance. Nikkiey calls it magic: you can lose fat, change your body composition and build muscle there (Ep. 93).
What to expect, from a WarriorBabe coach
- Weeks 1 to 4: more energy and better sleep. The scale may not move.
- Months 2 to 3: the mirror catches up, in your arms, shoulders and middle.
- Month 6: different clothes and real strength in the gym.
- 12 months: a full recomposition.
Lift heavy three to four days a week (WarriorBabe's coaches) and add weight over time. Take progress photos once a week, not just the scale (Nikkiey, Ep. 265).
Get a coach to adjust these with youNumbers are a starting point. A coach changes them as your body answers.
How your numbers are worked out
- 1Calories at your maintenance, where Nikkiey says you can lose fat, change your body composition and build muscle (Ep. 93). With a lot of fat to lose, a modest deficit: most women can lose fat around 10% below maintenance (Ep. 201). The calculator never goes below your resting burn. Why
- 2Protein at about 1 gram per pound of body weight, with carbs and fat filling in the rest (Nikkiey, Ep. 86). Fat at 30% of calories, her broad starting point (Ep. 164). Why
- 3The timeline is a WarriorBabe coach's: feel it in weeks 1 to 4, see it in months 2 to 3, undeniable by month 6, a full recomposition at 12 months. Why
For education, not medical advice. On a GLP-1 medication, pregnant, or managing a medical condition? Set your numbers with your doctor.
Questions women ask
Can you lose fat and build muscle at the same time after 40?
Yes, especially if you're newer to lifting: Nikkiey says many women see newbie gains while losing fat, which is why the scale barely moves as photos change (Ep. 93). It takes a real lifting program and enough food. At 1,000 to 1,200 calories, she says, you won't build muscle (Ep. 30).
How many calories should I eat for body recomposition?
At or near your maintenance: Nikkiey calls maintenance magic (Ep. 93). With a lot of weight to lose, strength coach Susan Niebergall suggests a modest deficit while you train like you're building muscle (Ep. 56), and Nikkiey says most women can lose fat around 10% below maintenance (Ep. 201).
How much protein do I need for body recomposition?
Nikkiey sets protein from your body weight, about 1 gram per pound a day, then lets carbs and fats fill in the rest in a balanced way. You need all three macros to change your body composition (Ep. 86).
Why isn't the scale moving during a recomposition?
You can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. On Ep. 63 Nikkiey describes Cheryl, who three years in weighs about what she started at but looks drastically different. Nikkiey's tip: take progress photos once a week (Ep. 265).
How long does body recomposition take?
A WarriorBabe coach frames it as a rebuild of six to 12 to 18 months: you feel changes in weeks one to four, see them in months two to three, and by month six it's undeniable. Client Cheryl's best results took two and a half years (Ep. 63).
Go deeper
Building Muscle After 40
Can I build muscle in a calorie deficit?
Yes, you can build some muscle in a calorie deficit, especially if you're newer to strength training or have more fat to lose, but not as much as at maintenance or in a surplus. Nikkiey explains that a modest deficit, enough protein and a real lifting program work. Crash-level calories like 1,200 don't.
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Macros & Macro Tracking
What macros should I eat for body recomposition after 40?
Start with protein at about one gram per pound of body weight daily, then let carbs and fats fill in the rest in a balanced way. Nikkiey says recomposition takes strength training and eating at or near maintenance, not a steep deficit. Some WarriorBabe coaches prefer separate build and fat loss phases instead.
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Building Muscle After 40
How long does body recomposition take after 40?
One WarriorBabe coach frames body recomposition after 40 as a rebuild of six to 12 to 18 months, not a 30-day challenge. You usually feel changes in weeks one to four, see them in months two to three, and by month six the change is undeniable. Client stories on the show took one and a half to two and a half years.
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